[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 108 (Friday, September 2, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H7628]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HURRICANE KATRINA
(Mr. SMITH of New Jersey asked and was given permission to address
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, in January I traveled to Aceh,
Puquet and Colombo and saw American foreign aid save the lives of tens
of thousands of people ravaged by the tsunami. Two weeks ago, I was in
Darfur, Sudan and visited refugee and IDP camps in that war-ravaged
area and saw firsthand U.S. taxpayer funds and U.S. leadership saving
and rebuilding the lives of hundreds of thousands of Africans. But
charity begins at home, Mr. Speaker, and we must leave no stone
unturned in our effort to save the lives of Americans, our neighbors,
devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
Today's appropriation is a downpayment. It is a beginning of an
aggressive humanitarian effort that will take months, even years, to
rebuild the lives of those shattered people. Today we say to the
suffering, we will do whatever it takes to save lives, to mitigate
disease, and rebuild.
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